In working with some of Australia's leading mining, engineering and construction companies, Perth based Coastal Midwest Transport has established a reputation for providing a reliable, cost effective freight pickup and distribution service that ensures customer deliveries arrive on time and on budget.
Reflecting the expanding nature of its business and to meet Coastal Midwest Transport’s own commitment to customer service, the company recently undertook a series of pilot studies to determine the best way to improve delivery accuracy and efficiency.
To ensure freight distribution and pickup standards continually improve, Coastal Midwest Transport commissioned Interdev as a technology provider. A partnership between Interdev and Gamma Solutions will assist Coastal Midwest Transport monitor its warehouse and trucking operations, which are required to meet the needs of larger customers.
The new technology application will allow Coastal Midwest Transport to offer its larger clients the opportunity to accurately track deliveries, from despatch to arrival.
Partnering with both Interdev and Gamma Solutions will aso enable Coastal Midwest Transport to streamline internal and external logistics operations, while nurturing and building key relationships with clients.
“One key area we targeted was the tracking of our freight as it enters and departs from each of our particular depots," says James Olson, Financial Controller Coastal Midwest Transport.
"The installation of the Transport dispatch system and implementation of Intermec's CN3 hand held device using Gamma Solutions technology has allowed us to increase the overall efficiency of our fleet usage, a vital area of our logistics operations."
"Forwarding electronic data to clients provides a range of real-time tracking solutions.”
Key members of the Coastal Midwest Transport staff including all freight delivery drivers, operations personnel and members of the dispatch staff will be utilising the new freight logistics technology at different stages of the transportation process.
Large on-site Coastal Midwest Transport customers in remote areas will also be able to utilise the technology, enabling them to track the progress of their delivery and benefit from the greater efficiency afforded by accurate planning.
Prior to the installation of the new Interdev freight monitoring technology application, there was no system in place capable of delivering real time tracking solutions to Coastal Midwest Transport customers.
The timescale of the pilot freight monitoring installation was split into five different stages over a period of twelve months.
“The initial pilot project stage consisted of implementing the technology solutions into areas where specific large customers would see the greatest benefit," explains James Olson.
"These areas included our warehousing locations and our various despatch operations.”
“The second stage consisted of undertaking installation work throughout the Perth area, including aspects of our pickup and delivery network."
"The third stage saw a detailed GPS system being installed, allowing for all trucks to be located with the use of the Google Enterprise Maps application."
"The final two stages of the project pilot saw the large client on site scan off and then a trace of all items."
One of the key reasons behind Coastal Midwest Transport’s decision to employ the combination of Gamma Solutions and Interdev’s technology over rival transport and logistics solutions providers was their ability to offer synergy between different technology tools; such as a legacy accounting and transport package, ‘Freightmate’ which was being used by Coastal Midwest Transport independently and has now been interfaced with the XMotion technology to great success.
Gamma Solutions has deployed Intermec's CN3 GPS enabled device as a best fit technology hardware solution for Coastal Midwest Transport to assist in the scanning of barcode and assignment notes and different proof of delivery signatures.
By being able to offer a level of synergy between Interdev’s XMotion product and the Intermec CN3, Gamma Solutions was able to offer a solution which was durable, high quality, reliable and cost effective.
Intermec CN3s are also been utilised by a wide range of larger clients, proving a consistent and cost effective support by enabling customers to view the status of their deliveries.
This allows the larger clients of Coastal Midwest Transport to accurately plan for deliveries, saving on labour costs.
“Different personnel will be able to use the technology at a number of specific stages, from identifying various freight items to creating manifests," Olsen says.
"We're expecting a clear return on investment to be delivered well within the estimated timeframes. Since this project was undertaken, a number of Coastal Midwest Transport’s larger clients have requested the same technology to be interfaced with their own systems."
"This will enable Coastal Midwest Transport to further strengthen a number of long term relationships with key clients, providing ongoing benefits for the company."
"Technical support will be provided by Interdev and Gamma Solutions to assist in further streamlining of Coastal Midwest Transport’s delivery operations and to support the company’s continued growth.